| The Pirate Movie | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Ken Annakin |
| Written by | Trevor Farrant |
| Based on | The Pirates of Penzance 1879 opera byWilliam Schwenk Gilbert Arthur Sullivan |
| Produced by | David Joseph |
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Robin Copping |
| Edited by | Kenneth W. Zemke |
| Music by |
|
Production company | Joseph Hamilton International Productions |
| Distributed by | 20th Century Fox |
Release date |
|
Running time | 105 minutes[1] |
| Country | Australia |
| Language | English |
| Budget | A$6 million[2] (US$5.9 million)[3] |
| Box office | US$9 million |
The Pirate Movie is a 1982 Australianmusicalromantic comedy film directed byKen Annakin, and starringChristopher Atkins andKristy McNichol. Loosely based onGilbert and Sullivan's 1879comic operaThe Pirates of Penzance, the originalmusic score is composed by Mike Brady and Peter Sullivan (no relation toPirates of Penzance composerArthur Sullivan).
The film performed far below expectations in its initial release with low critic reviews,[4][5] but has maintained higher ratings among audiences.[6]
Mabel Stanley is an introverted and bookish teenage girl from theUnited States in a seaside community in Australia as anexchange student. She attends a local pirate festival featuring a swordplay demonstration led by a young curly-haired instructor and fellow American, who then invites her for a ride on his boat. She is duped by her exchange family sisters, Edith, Kate and Isabel, into missing the launch, so she rents a small sailboat to give chase. A sudden storm throws her overboard, and she washes up on a beach.
She subsequently dreams an adventure that takes place a century before. In this fantasy sequence, the swordplay instructor is now named Frederic, a young apprentice of thePirates of Penzance, celebrating his 21st birthday on a pirate vessel. Frederic refuses an invitation from the Pirate King, his adoptive father, to become a full pirate, as his birth parents were murdered by their contemporaries. Frederic swears to avenge their deaths and is forced off of the ship on a small boat.
Adrift, Frederic spies Mabel and her older sisters on a nearby island and swims to shore to greet them. In a reversal of roles, Mabel is a confident, assertive, and courageous young woman, while her sisters are prim, proper and conservative. Frederic quickly falls for Mabel and proposes marriage, but local custom requires the elder sisters to marry first.
Soon, Frederic's old mates come ashore, also looking for women and kidnap Mabel's sisters. Major-General Stanley, Mabel's father, arrives and convinces the Pirate King to free his daughters and leave in peace. The pirates anchor their ship just outside the harbour instead of actually leaving. Mabel wants Frederic to gain favour with her father so they can marry, so she plots to recover the family treasure stolen years earlier by the pirates. Unfortunately, the treasure was lost at sea, but the location where it lies was tattooed as a map on the Pirate King's back. Mabel successfully tricks the Pirate King into revealing his tattoo while Frederic sketches a copy. After Mabel manages to escape from him, she and Frederic, who has sabotaged the pirate's ship, leap overboard and swim for safety. The pirates open fire on them, but the ship partially sinks, enabling them to escape.
The next day, Mabel and Frederic recover the stolen treasure and present it to her father. The Major-General is underwhelmed as he believes the treasure will simply be stolen again once the pirates realise it is missing. Mabel dispatches Frederic to raise an army for protection, but the Pirate King interferes. The ship nurse, Ruth, convinces them to stop fighting, reminding the Pirate King of Frederic's apprenticeship contract. Frederic's birthday is 29 February, and he is dismayed to see that the contract specifies his twenty-firstbirthday, rather than his twenty-firstyear. As his birthday occurs every four years, Frederic has celebrated only five birthdays and is still bound by contract to remain with the pirates.
That night, the pirates raid the Stanley estate, and the Pirate King orders their execution. Mabel demands a "happy ending" – admitting for the first time that she believes this all to be a dream. Everyone – even the pirates – cheers their approval, leaving the Pirate King disappointed and shocked. Mabel then confronts her father, but the Major-General is steadfast that the marriage custom remains in effect. Mabel quickly pairs each of her older sisters with a pirate, and she also pairs the Pirate King to Ruth. With Mabel and Frederic now free to marry, the fantasy sequence ends in song and dance.
Mabel wakes up back on the beach to discover that she is wearing the wedding ring that Frederic had given her in her dream. At that moment, the handsome swordplay instructor arrives and lifts her to her feet. He passionately kisses Mabel, who is still shaken by her dream. She asks if his name is Frederic. He assures her that he isn't who she imagines him to be, but then carries her off to marry her, thus giving Mabel her happy ending in reality as well.
Joseph Papp's Broadway revival of "The Pirates of Penzance" had piqued the interest of music executiveDavid Joseph, who had recently entered into a production partnership with actorTed Hamilton (The Pirate King).[7] Together, they hatched the idea for a comedic film adaptation. Initially, Papp was approached to direct, but he declined because he had his own plans for a film adaptation of the musical.[8]
The producers then turned to20th Century Fox studio, which not only agreed to distribute the film but also provided two lead actors for the project.Kristy McNichol, renowned for her role in the TV dramaFamily, had transitioned to a film career and was eager for another big-screen opportunity.Christopher Atkins, who had made a splash inThe Blue Lagoon, was a notable presence in teen magazines. Both actors were invited to watch a production of "Penzance" in preparation for their roles. McNichol said that she was bored by it,[9] and Atkins believed he was cast primarily due to his resemblance to his Broadway counterpart,Rex Smith.[10] Atkins was under contract toColumbia Pictures, which lent him out to Fox for the movie, and then took half of his profits.[11] Although McNichol had sung professionally and released an album with her brother, she went to a vocal coach to prepare.[12] Meanwhile, Atkins, who had no musical experience,[13] not only had to be taught to sing, but underwent extensive dancing and fencing training.[14]
As the production gathered momentum, Ted Hamilton enlisted Trevor Farrant,[15] a collaborator from previous projects, to craft the screenplay.[16] Farrant received a substantial payment of $55,000 for his work, which, when adjusted for inflation, equates to $174,000. This was reported to be the highest salary ever earned by an Australian screenwriter at the time.[17] Farrant claimed to have completed the screenplay in just four days.[18]
Originally, the production had selected the young directorRichard Franklin to helm the film.[19] Rehearsals commenced in August 1981, with plans to begin shooting in September.[20] Excitement was palpable among the cast and crew as they embarked on rehearsals.[21] However, McNichol, who had final script approval, clashed with Franklin over his vision for the film, resulting in Franklin's sudden departure from the production.[22] Ted Hamilton had the unenviable task of informing the cast and crew that "creative differences" had forced Franklin to exit.[23] This unexpected turn of events left production in a state of uncertainty, forcing Atkins (and presumably McNichol) to return to the United States[24] while the Australian team continued rehearsals.[25]
Ultimately,Ken Annakin was hired as Franklin's replacement. Being more than twice the age of his predecessor, there were concerns within the cast about Annakin's suitability for the role,[26] but production soldiered on.
With the new director in place,principal photography began in November 1981[27] and stretched into January 1982.
Since McNichol wore a light, natural makeup, none of the "sisters" were allowed to enhance their features with makeup. Two actresses arrived with eyeliner on, were reprimanded and forced to remove it.[28]
Annakin found himself at odds with McNichol over one annoyance: herchewing gum. She continuously had gum in her mouth, and frequently tried to hide it in her cheek.[29] This led to an outtake that's seen right before the credits roll, which seems fairly random out of context.
Primary locations included thePolly Woodside at theSouth Melbourne wharf, the Farm and Mansion atWerribee Park, and theLoch Ard on theGreat Ocean Road,Port Campbell, from November 1981 to January 1982. Secondary locations included various parts ofSydney, namelyMcDonald'sCremorne (in the beginning sequences, after Fred invites Mabel and her friends on the boat),Rushcutters Bay Marina (where Mabel obtains a small sailboat), andPalm Beach for some of the beach scenes. The Stanley family's library, which required a controlled environment for all of the stunt work, was a set erected in a Sydney studio.[30]
The film that was released was a little bit different from the film that was shot. "Pumping and Blowin'" was originally supposed to include a sequence with Mabel's sisters frolicking underwater,[31] but this footage was scrapped and replaced with animation byYellow Submarine veteran Maggie Geddes.[32]
Despite Hamilton's objections, Fox ended up shaving 20 minutes out of the movie, which he claimed had "emasculated" the film and ruined a lot of the jokes.[33] They were particularly sensitive to racial jokes,[34] but other off-colour humor found its way onto the cutting room floor.[35]
The musical numbers, primarily inspired by Gilbert & Sullivan, were written byTerry Britten,Kit Hain, Sue Shifrin andBrian Robertson.
| The Pirate Movie: The Original Soundtrack from the Motion Picture | |
|---|---|
| Soundtrack album by Various | |
| Released | August 1982 |
| Genre | Pop rock |
| Label | Polydor Records |
| Producer | Peter Sullivan,Roger Savage,Terry Britten a.o. |
| Singles from The Pirate Movie | |
| |
The Pirate Movie soundtrack album was released byPolydor Records in August 1982, available in both vinyl and cassette formats. The company invested a substantial $800,000 to secure the rights for this release,[36] which would be equivalent to over $2.5 million when adjusted for inflation. However, the album's performance on the AmericanBillboard 200 was modest, reaching only number 166.[37]
Singles were issued for "How Can I Live Without Her?"[38] "First Love"[39] and, exclusively in Australia, The Peter Cupples Band's version of "Happy Ending."[40] "How Can I Live Without Her?" managed to reach number 71 on the U.S.Billboard Hot 100,[41] while "First Love" failed to chart.
In Australia, the album achieved better success, reaching a position of number 39 on the charts.[42] "How Can I Live Without Her" peaked at #31 on the Australian charts,[43][deprecated source] and was even featured on theK-Tel compilation "Raiders of the Pop Charts" the following year.[44] "Happy Ending" became a signature song for Cupples, who was still performing it decades later.[45]
In most countries, the soundtrack was released as a double album containing the complete versions of all the songs, along with highlights from Peter Sullivan's orchestral score. However, abridged single-album versions were made available in Germany, the UK, the Netherlands, and Argentina, featuring only selected tracks.[46] Despite the variations in track listings, the album's packaging remained virtually identical worldwide, except for Germany, where it showcased alternate poster artwork on the front cover.[47]
| Chart (1981) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Albums (Kent Music Report)[42] | 39 |
| US(Billboard 200)[37] | 166 |
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA)[48] | Gold | 20,000^ |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. | ||
In preparation for the film's August release, 20th Century Fox embarked on an extensive $3 million promotional campaign.[49] It was one of the earliest movies to feature anelectronic press kit distributed onvideocassette.[50]
Just prior to the film's August debut,Baskin-Robbins released "Pirates' Gold" as their flavour of the month for July.[51] This ice cream flavour wasrum-flavoured and includedbutter brickle candy pieces, accompanied by playful marketing featuring a pirate-themed caricature ofBill Kerr, who is seen selling the ice cream from a Baskin-Robbins cart at the beginning of the movie.[52]
A total of 179 American shopping malls joined in on the promotional extravaganza.[53] The campaign encompassed various engaging activities such as colouring contests featuring poster artwork,[54] costume contests,[55][56] treasure hunts,[57] fashion shows,[58][59] and giveaways.[60]Freebie items included pirate banners, movie posters, chocolate "gold coin" candy, videotapes, and movie tickets.[61] Fox also arranged radio giveaways ofsailboards, andHang Ten gave away exclusive posters.[61]
Christopher Atkins and Kristy McNichol did the obligatory rounds with journalists and tabloid-news reporters. On television, Atkins took the spotlight as he hosted "The Swashbucklers," a syndicated TV special that delved into the history of pirate films. The show included an appearance by McNichol and provided behind-the-scenes glimpses into the making of the movie.[62][63][64] Atkins also showcased his newfound musical talents by performing "How Can I Live Without Her?" on popular shows likeAmerican Bandstand,[65]Solid Gold,[66] and the Australian seriesCountdown,[67] which he even guest-hosted. He also appeared at record store signings to promote the soundtrack.[68] Additionally, the cast version of "Happy Ending" closedABC'sThanksgiving TV special "Dancin' on Air."[69]
The Peter Cupples Band released a music video for their rendition of "Happy Ending"[70] and also appeared onCountdown. Their performance took a dramatic turn as Atkins burst onto the stage, engaging in a mock duel with a pirate.[71]
An additional bit of promotion was ill-timed. Thesame month that the movie was released, Atkins graced the cover ofPlaygirl magazine.[72] Although there were no full-frontal images included in that spread,[73] it was an era when male nudity was very taboo,[74] creating a disconnect with the family audience that Fox was targeting for the film's marketing.
In the USA, the film opened at #5, trailing behind juggernautE.T. the Extra-Terrestrial,The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas,Things Are Tough All Over, andAn Officer and a Gentleman.[5] In its second week, after the reviews hit and now in direct competition with a successful re-release of Fox's ownStar Wars, it plummeted to #13,[75] and dropped off the charts in its third week. Ultimately, the film grossed $7,983,086 in its American theatrical release.[76]
The film earned A$1,013,000 at the Australian box office.[77][78]
Fox didn't allow the press to pre-screen the film, with executive Vice-President Irv Ivers explaining, "You can look at movies and you can tell if they're going to be killed by critics."[79] He then asked the reporter, "If you were in my place, would you show them?" Just as Ivers foresaw, when the reviews finally surfaced, "The Pirate Movie" was brutally criticised, with numerous headlines invoking pirate-themed puns, including piracy,[80][81] shipwrecks,[82] walking the plank,[83][84][85][86][87] and other stereotypical terminology.
OnRotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 9% based on 11 reviews, with an average rating of 2.23/10.[6] OnMetacritic, it has aweighted average score of 19 out of 100, based on reviews from 6 critics, indicating "Overwhelming dislike".[88]
Screenwriter Trevor Farrant issued a press statement after the American reviews surfaced but before the Australian release. Farrant blamed "everybody" else for the film's box-office failure,[89] decrying "phallic and homosexual jokes which I didn't write,"[90] and denouncing product placement forMcDonald's andBaskin-Robbins, asserting, "This is not a film, this is prostitution. The final film is a travesty of my script."[91] Producer and starTed Hamilton countered Farrant's claims by suggesting that he was "acting irrationally."[92]
Michelene Keating ofThe Tucson Citizen was bewildered by the audience's reaction, noting, "Everyone who attended the same matinee showing that I did (a sparse attendance and, to my surprise, mostly adults) did not share my opinion of the movie. A woman who sat in front of me laughed quite a bit between going out three times for popcorn refills."[93]The Sunday Pennsylvanian's Mary Lou Kelsey was surrounded by a young crowd that made her "feel like you need a walker," and complained that the audience was "laughing hysterically at the most infantile jokes you have ever heard. You might need a walker, but their brains need corrective surgery."[94]
Among the few positive reviews, Martha Steimel ofThe Witchita Falls Records News gushed that it was a "wonderfully funny," "rollicking frolic,"[95] remarking that "the fun of the pirate movie is that we know all along it's a dream." TheOrlando Sentinel's Sumner Rand called it "a lighthearted, colorful summertime romp," concluding, "Unless you're a Gilbert & Sullivan purist, you should be entertained."[96] Bill Pelletier ofThe Evansville Press warned that "a trip to the concession stand could rob you of some funny moments," and concluded, "The key to this Australian-made beauties, me hardies, is fun, fun, fun!"[97]The Louisville Courier Journal's Owen Hardy remarked that "despite its problems, 'The Pirate Movie' at times displays an infectious inanity," and that "the cast sings with gusto."[98]
The Irish Times review calledThe Pirate Movie a "travesty" of the Gilbert and Sullivan original and said "with a philosophy of shove everything in regardless, it's nothing more than a waste of Miss McNichol's abilities, the audience's time and the incentives offered to make films in Australia."[99]Leonard Maltin's Movie Guide rated the film as a BOMB and stated: "Not only trashes the original, but also fails on its own paltry terms. It should have been calledThe Rip-off Movie".[100]TV Guide stated "Pop tunes are mixed in with some of the original G&S songs in a pirate period setting that grates on the nerves, as does the inane toilet humor that substitutes for wit. All the performers, especially McNichol, look as if they can't wait until the film is over, and one can hardly blame them."[101]Michael and Harry Medved's bookSon of Golden Turkey Awards includesThe Pirate Movie's "First Love" on its list of "Worst Rock 'N Roll Lyrics in a Movie".[102] The most creative review came from theArgus Leader'sMarshall Fine, who set his poetic opus to the rhythm of "The Major-General's Song," ultimately stating, "In short, 'The Pirate Movie' should crawl back into the sewer. At least that's the opinion of this modern film reviewer."[103]
Australian film critic Michael Adams later includedThe Pirate Movie on his list of the worst ever Australian films, along withPhantom Gold,The Glenrowan Affair,Houseboat Horror,Welcome to Woop Woop,Les Patterson Saves the World andPandemonium.[104]
| Award | Category | Nominee(s) | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australian Film Institute Awards | Best Supporting Actor | Garry McDonald | Nominated | [105] |
| Best Costume Design | Aphrodite Kondos | Nominated | ||
| Golden Raspberry Awards | Worst Picture | David Joseph | Nominated | [106] |
| Worst Director | Ken Annakin | Won[a] | ||
| Worst Actor | Christopher Atkins | Nominated | ||
| Worst Actress | Kristy McNichol | Nominated | ||
| Worst Supporting Actor | Ted Hamilton | Nominated | ||
| Worst Screenplay | Trevor Farrant; Based on theGilbert and Sullivan's operettaThe Pirates of Penzance | Nominated | ||
| Worst Musical Score | Kit Hain | Won | ||
| Worst Original Song | "Happy Endings" Music and Lyrics byTerry Britten,BA Robertson, and Sue Shifrin | Nominated | ||
| "Pumpin' and Blowin'" Music and Lyrics by Terry Britten, BA Robertson, and Sue Shifrin | Won | |||
| Stinkers Bad Movie Awards | Worst Picture | David Joseph | Nominated | [107] |
The film is listed in Golden Raspberry Award founder John Wilson's bookThe Official Razzie Movie Guide as one of The 100 Most Enjoyably Bad Movies Ever Made.[100]
'The Pirate Movie' is being made because of the successful revival of 'The Pirates of Penzance' on Broadway starring Linda Ronstadt. Ted Hamilton explained that David Joseph phoned him from America to talk about the revival and suggest that they put a film together. The two had already established their film company, JHI Productions, and were planning to start with a couple of small television productions. These were shelved while the two men laid their plans for 'The Pirate Movie.'
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: location (link)Their first approach was to Joseph Papp, who declined on the grounds that he intended to next year make his own film which would be faithful to the original Gilbert & Sullivan version. According to an aide, he wanted to keep together the original team.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: location (link)Before Kristy went to Australia, she looked over the Broadway production. "It bored me a lot," she reports. "The way they dance around made you wake up, but otherwise, you'd sink down in your seat and just go, 'Uh-oh!' My movie's based on the same characters and storyline, but it's more a fantasy than a real version of pirate days. It's incredibly fun -- I think it's zanier, cuter, and much more exciting than the play."
{{cite magazine}}: CS1 maint: location (link)"When 'The Pirate Movie' came up, I didn't know who Gilbert & Sullivan were. The producers flew me to New York to see the stage production of 'The Pirates of Penzance' with Linda Ronstadt and Rex Smith. Rex has curly blond hair," which is why Mr. Atkins figures he was cast in the same part - that of Frederic, the apprentice pirate.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: location (link)[Columbia Pictures] signed me to a four-year deal when I made 'Blue Lagoon,' but they didn't line up anything for me after that, and when they lent me out to NBC to make 'Child Bride at Short Creek' and to 20th Century Fox for 'The Pirate Movie,' I had to end up splitting what I made with Columbia.
Atkins took lessons from Miss McNichol's voice coach.
I've never sung before. We'll see what happens.
I was taking singing lessons, dancing lessons, fencing lessons, all [in Australia]. So I was going from one place to the next to the next, super, super busy.
In fact, Farrance [sic] had not been called in until March, when the negotiations were well under way, and he still had to commit his first draft to paper when he went to America in May to give a detailed explanation of his scripting ideas to Fox and the artists' managers.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: location (link)[Hamilton] says that a decade ago he took the writer from a nobody and made him his scriptwriter for an ABC musical series.
Mr. Farrant, who received $55,000 for the screenplay (said to be the highest paid for an Australian production), tells us he is a writer of repute.
I wrote the screenplay in four days. The producers sold it to 20th Century Fox for $3 million...Australia's first ever 'negative pick up' deal. Not too much of the $9 million budget actually hit the screen and even less of what I wrote. Garry McDonald did his part as written, out of loyalty to me.
Richard Franklin will direct the adventure drama-love story on locations around Sydney and Queensland for producer David Joseph and JHI Productions.
Rehearsals were originally slated for August 1981 with major photography to begin in September 1981, in Sydney and Queensland, but the sacking of original director Richard Franklin led to delays.
We all started rehearsals in a rooftop studio in Fitzroy, full of expectation and enthusiasm.
My understanding was that somehow, Kristy's management managed to negotiate a deal where she had final script approval, and THAT was the reason why Richard and his team, finally had to "abandon ship", because a 19yr old television actor was suddenly calling the shots! She wanted one draft of the script (and there were MANY) and Richard wanted another. This is also why Trevor tried (unsuccessfully) to have his name removed from the credits. I worked with Richard a couple of times after that, and it was clearly a particular regret that he was effectively forced to leave. Because he LOVED musicals and his vision for our film was actually much closer to the OTHER film that was being made at much the same time in the States, of the G&S/Joseph Papp version.
But suddenly, one day, Richard Franklin was gone with the wind. Ted Hamilton made a speech to the company telling us there'd been some creative differences and that Richard had chosen to depart, wishing us all the best.
They hired a director, [but] that director didn't work out and they had to hire Ken Annakin, so Ken came in and it was another time. So I literally had to leave and come back because I was there for six months shooting that picture.
So for a few weeks we rehearsed the musical numbers over and over again, all of us filling in time until a new director would, hopefully, appear. It was obviously taking some time to solicit some excitement from the directing fraternity, so David Atkins dutifully took us over and over the same dance routines every day, making sure we were earning our money. Boy, did we know those dance routines! I still wake in a cold sweat some nights doing them. How's that for a nightmare?
By the time we got Ken he was nearing [70] and in a year of such movies as Raiders of the Lost Ark, Arthur and Stripes, his finger was far from the pulse of what was happening in Hollywood.
Us girls of the chorus were also not allowed to wear make-up lest we look more beautiful than Kristy McNichol. No eyeliner, no lip gloss, zip, nada, noffin'. One day my dear friend Linda Nagle and I got a real dressing down when they caught us with a bit of eyeliner on. We were immediately sent off the set to have it removed. Obviously it was quite an insult if you were chosen to have a close-up in this picture.
She had her gum in her mouth all the time," recalls Ken Annakin. "We had a constant battle. She would hide it in her cheek. I'd say, 'Come on, you've got the gum! And she'd say, 'No, I don't!' Then I'd make her open her mouth and give it up.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: location (link)According to Annakin, the stunt sequence set in a library was shot on a set, in a studio in Sydney, and because it was shot at the very end of the schedule, he was able to influence the set design.
We shot a whole underwater sequence of us frolicking beneath the waves to the song 'Pumpin' and 'Blowin'' only to have it replaced in the final film by animation.
The animation has something of the Beatles' Yellow Submarine feel about it, which isn't surprising because Melbourne-based animator Maggie Geddes (aka Margaret) worked on that show, as well as working with Alex Stitt on Abra Cadabra and Grendel Grendel Grendel.
They edited it to the point where a lot of the jokes didn't make sense. They took 20 minutes out of the film, which I think emasculated it. I had a big argument with Twentieth [Century Fox] about it, but I was powerless, I was a first time Australian producer.
They were too sensitive. One of the girls said, "And don't say knickers!" And they said, "Oh, it sounds likeniggers, so we have to take that out." They took my joke, which was my best joke in the movie, when I say, "Tell me men, after all these years at sea, what have you missed most?" And they all yell out, "Sex!" There was one black guy on the crew who said, "Watermelon." That was the joke. Sex was easy, anybody would have said that, but watermelon was the joke.
And another was when Garry McDonald did his show about, "The firt and the firt, and the horse was firting," and all this sort of stuff. They took all that out and it was very funny.
Musical insiders report Polygram Records has shelled out a whopping $800,000 for the rights to the score of 20th Century Fox' "The Pirate Movie."
It will be preceded by a $3 million publicity campaign, giving its investors a better than even chance of recouping their stake.
Fox, in a new twist, began placing videotapes in press kits that previously contained just still photos.
{{cite magazine}}: CS1 maint: location (link)CTS Promotions, North Hollywood, Cal., figures characters and theme material from the upcoming summer motion picture 'The Pirate Movie' will be a big draw. Already, 179 shopping malls have signed up for the promotion, which is tied to the Aug. 6 release of the 20th Century-Fox picture.
{{cite magazine}}: CS1 maint: location (link){{cite magazine}}: CS1 maint: location (link)A behind-the-scenes look at the making of The Pirate Movie, which stars Chris Atkins.
Christopher Atkins narrates a look a look at classic pirate movies of the past with guest Kristy McNichol.
On a recent promotional swing through New York, Christopher Atkins, star of The Pirate Movie, made an in-store appearance at the Sam Goody Rockefeller Center outlet to promote the soundtrack LP on Polydor/Polygram.
{{cite magazine}}: CS1 maint: location (link)Inside, there is a photo spread showing a lot of skin, but no frontal nudity. "They just couldn't fit it all in the frame," Atkins explains with a self-mocking grin.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: location (link)I'm the only actor besides Burt Reynolds to [pose nude]. Maybe it'll cause a little stir.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: location (link){{cite news}}: CS1 maint: location (link)Farrant felt "everybody" was responsible for the film's failure to hit the original target: "I saw the jokes mangled, good lines thrown away, I saw spontanous moments missed, I saw the first rushes and I've shot better film with my Super Eight camera.
The final film is a travesty of my script: there are phallic jokes, a scene in front of a McDonald's hamburger shop and promotion of ice-cream. This is not a film, this is prositution.
Mr. Farrant does not realise a draft is just that. It can be changed. All I can think it that he is acting irrationally. I don't know why, I've been kind to him.
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